THE BURNETT BANNER B Burnett Newsletter Edition No 10 (including House of Burnett June 2010 MONBODDO THE MUSICAL Rehearsals for the production of Monboddo the Musical are well underway. Details will shortly be available on www.monboddo.com. The poster provides most of the information. A number of good causes will be identified or supported by the production. The Arts Centre Theatre where it will be staged; The Bread Maker as supplier of catering for the evening. Woodend Arts Association in the development of the project; The National Trust for Scotland for the involvement of Crathes and The Orang Utan Foundation. The approach of the Orangutan Foundation goes beyond that of purely protecting the orangutan. Critically it also includes recognition that orangutan habitat is unique in its richness of biodiversity and crucial for local communities, who are as dependant on the forest as is the orangutan. In his work on the evolution of man and language, Monboddo referred frequently to the Orangutan which he described as "an animal of human form, inside as well as outside" Monboddo believed that the Orangutan was human, had a sense of ethics, was able to play the flute and differed from civilised man in his fine decorum but had not yet attained the use of speech. He argued that dispositions and affections of his mind were sufficient to denominate him a man. This must be a cause that is worthy of support. The Editor BURNETT IS NOW ON FACEBOOK WE INVITE EACH OF YOU TO BECOME A "FAN"! www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Burnett/134138613279417 MESSAGE FROM THE My husband, Ronald and I are excited about HOUSE OF BURNETT PRESIDENT embarking upon our third trip to Scotland at the end of July and where we will be spending some time with Jamie and Fiona, prior to joining the It seems hard to believe that we are coming upon Celtic Journey’s Outlander Tour. We will be taking the time to vote for election of officers again. The pictures and reporting back in our next Banner. year has gone by so quickly. God bless you all and remember, “Courage Any paid member in good standing of the House of strengthens through adversity.” Burnett can run for office and let me encourage you to do so by letting us know your wishes in this Respectfully submitted, matter. If you know someone who might be interested in any position, you may nominate a Phyllis Esler qualified person for these positions. [email protected] We need two members of our Board of Directors to replace two of our outgoing members. The current President, (yours truly), has expressed a NOTE FROM desire to run again, but if there is a member who THE HOUSE OF BURNETT SECRETARY would like to take over this position, please make your wishes known. Our current Secretary, who Several of House of Burnett members have been has handled this position for the past several years, showing our colours at the Highland Games is Leland Burnett. Leland has expressed a desire to throughout the US. So far this year the House of become Vice President in charge of coordinating Burnett has been represented at 10 different events. the Festival presence for the HOB, but does not Please remember to check the events page on the want to step down until he is certain that a capable Burnett website for Scottish Games and Festival in candidate fills the Secretary position. The third your area so you can lend your support. Executive Officer position of Treasurer is currently held by Mike Burnett. Nominations will be I would like to say welcome to the 14 new considered within the next couple of months for members who have signed up in the last 3 months. these positions. I hope the family connections you will find will be as important and exciting to you as it is to me. The House of Burnett has been busy this summer as we have been represented at several Highland I am appealing to the membership to think about games all over the US. Those of you who have put serving in some capacity in the organization. We up tents and tables, please submit pictures and need new ideas. If you wish to serve let me know. articles to the Banner and let us know how things went. We appreciate everyone’s participation in Anyone who changes their email address please let these festivals. Having been present at earlier me know so I can keep you informed as to what is festivals for various organizations and now as an happening. officer of the HOB, I realize how much work you put into this (and how much fun it is to represent If anyone who is going to be at the Grandfather the family.) Mountain Games and haven’t let us know, please do so. We are truly looking forward to the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in Linville, NC this year Yours Aye and welcoming Alexander and Vinny Burnett as the honoured guests at the games. The Games are the Leland L Burnett largest Highland Gathering on the east coast of the [email protected] United States and thousands of people attend every year. This year, the games site has been plagued with storms, downed trees and other damage. But the people, and especially the Scots of North NOTE FROM THE EDITIOR Carolina, have come out in force to volunteer their services in a huge clean up process, not to mention There are many spellings of the name Burnett. the dollars that have come in through donations to Readers are requested not to advise the editor if aid in the clean up over the past two or three they observe a spelling with which they may be months. Thanks to all of you who have helped in unfamiliar! this endeavour. JUDYLYNN WEAVER - Director that characteristic without which the poem would not have been written. For information, a Born and raised in “Springer” is a spring running salmon, the catching Pennsylvania, I come from of which is the ultimate goal of any freshwater a long line of PA fisherman. “mongrel” ancestry. I first joined the House of “You are ageing Sir Robert, yet do not despair Burnett about 20 years For your limbs are as supple as ever, ago, upon discovering the And the ship repair ball you keep in the air maiden name of my What makes you makes you so brilliantly clever?” Great-Great-Great- “In my youth”, said Sir Robert, “I followed the sea Grandma: Sarah (Burnett) As a “Springer” obtained my ambition, Chesney Stone, from the Ahoghill area of County Wrote books upon “Balls” and between you & me Antrim in the North of Ireland. However, unable Perhaps you would buy an edition?” to document this claim, I faded out of the HOB until a new-found Irish cousin found proof a few “You are ageing Sir Robert, in case you don’t years ago. Shortly after rejoining the HOB, I know, volunteered to serve on the Board of Directors. Perhaps a trifle pronounced as to “tum”, Yet you juggle the ship repair ball like a “pro” My hometown is a village outside Shamokin, Pa. I Don’t you think at your age it is rum?” graduated from Penn State having majored in journalism and minored in sports information. “In my youth”, said Sir Robert, “my studies ranged Following a brief stint as a news and sports free reporter for my hometown newspaper, I moved to I at tactics was known as a snorter, Knoxville and the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee Hence to deal with these “domkops” is easy for me to spread my wings. Wanting to be closer to my If I couldn’t I b-y well oughter”. genealogical resources, I returned to PA. I’ve spent the last dozen years working primarily as a proof “You are ageing Sir Robert, I hate to repeat reader (and often public relations assistant) at And an Admiral breezy but clever various marketing agencies from Lancaster Co. to Yet you keep up this ship repair juggling feat the Philly suburbs. Do you think you can do so forever”? I’m single, with a going-on-4 niece who’s re- “I have answered two questions & that is enough”, energized my climb of our family tree. I’ve Said Sir Robert with anger grown whiter, contributed 80 pages of research to a book on one “I am weary of ship repair balls and such stuff, side of my family. My other great hobby is So be off you inquisitive blighter!” watching American football -- high school, college, th and pro. I’m involved with several alumni Cape Town June 25 1945 Cannan to C-in-C associations, reunion committees, and other The Editor organizations (including Clan MacLeod and Clan Morrison). And as an avid fan of Celtic rock music, I’ve travelled to festivals (and renaissance fairs) from Canada to Colorado to the Carolinas to satisfy my “bagpipe habit.” JOKE OF THE DAY Within the HOB, I would like to see a more robust Jock was out working the field when a barnstormer system of Burnett genealogy communication, as landed. "I'll give you an airplane ride for £5," said well as increased involvement of Burnetts all over the pilot. "Sorry, cannae afford it," replied Jock. the world! "Tell you what," said the pilot, "I'll give you and your wife a free ride if you promise not to yell. Otherwise it'll be £10." So up they went and the pilot rolled, looped, stalled and did all he could to "YOU ARE AGEING SIR ROBERT" scare Jock.